Method of containing a botanical item and growing medium

ABSTRACT

A plant packaging system and method comprising a combination of a protective upper portion and a decorative lower portion having a base portion and a skirt portion for packaging a potted plant or a botanical item and a growing medium without a pot. The protective upper portion can be detached from the lower portion of the package system once the protective function of the upper portion has been completed. The sleeve may be provided without a detachable upper portion. The lower portion may have a skirt portion which has a non-linear upper peripheral edge. The lower portion may be tapered and may have a gusset in the lower end.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] The present application is a continuation of U.S. Ser. No.10/126,071, filed Apr. 18, 2002, which is a continuation of Ser. No.09/626,375, filed Jul. 26, 2000, which is a continuation of U.S. Ser.No. 09/336,630, filed Aug. 3, 1999, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,192,657; whichis a continuation of U.S. Ser. No. 09/025,090, filed Feb. 17, 1998, nowU.S. Pat. No. 5,930,979; which is a continuation of U.S. Ser. No.08/775,516, filed Jan. 2, 1997, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,740,658; which is acontinuation of U.S. Ser. No. 08/460,180 filed Jun. 2, 1995, now U.S.Pat. No. 5,617,703; which is a continuation of Ser. No. 08/237,078,filed on May 3, 1994, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,625,979; which is acontinuation-in-part of Ser. No. 08/220,852, filed Mar. 31, 1994, nowU.S. Pat. No. 5,572,851. Each of these applications is hereby expresslyincorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0002] This invention generally relates to sleeves, and, moreparticularly, to sleeves used to wrap flower pots containing floralgroupings and/or mediums containing floral groupings, and methods ofusing same.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0003]FIG. 1 is an elevational view of a sleeve having a detachingelement constructed in accordance with the present invention.

[0004]FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the sleeve of FIG. 1 having apotted plant disposed therein.

[0005]FIG. 2A is a perspective view of the sleeve of FIG. 1 having afloral grouping and growing medium disposed therein.

[0006]FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a pot such as might be used withthe sleeve of the present invention.

[0007]FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the potted plant disposed in thesleeve of FIG. 2 after an upper portion of the sleeve has been removedto provide a pot cover having a skirt.

[0008]FIG. 4A is a perspective view of a floral grouping and growingmedium disposed in the sleeve of FIG. 1 after an upper portion of thesleeve has been removed to provide a cover having a skirt.

[0009]FIG. 5 is an elevational view of a version of the sleeve of FIG. 1with a gusseted bottom.

[0010]FIG. 6 is a partial cutaway, elevational view of an alternateversion of the sleeve of FIG. 1 wherein a bonding material is disposedupon an upper end of the sleeve.

[0011]FIG. 7 is an elevational view of an alternate version of thesleeve of FIG. 1 having a folding flap.

[0012]FIG. 8 is an elevational view of an alternate version of thesleeve of FIG. 1 having a bonding material disposed on a portion of aninner surface of the sleeve.

[0013]FIG. 9 is an elevational view of an alternate version of thesleeve of FIG. 1 having a bonding material disposed on a portion of anouter surface of the sleeve.

[0014]FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing the sleeve of FIG. 9crimped about a pot.

[0015]FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the crimped sleeve of FIG. 10.

[0016]FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view of the sleeve of FIG. 9 whereina crimped portion is formed above an upper end of a pot.

[0017]FIG. 13 is a perspective view of the crimped sleeve of FIG. 12wherein a crimped portion is formed above a pot.

[0018]FIG. 14 is an elevational view of another version of the sleeve ofFIG. 1 having an extended portion serving as a support extension.

[0019]FIG. 15 is an elevational view of another version of the sleeve ofFIG. 1 having an extended portion serving as a handle.

[0020]FIG. 16 is an elevational view of another version of the sleeve ofFIG. 1 having an additional detaching element for enhancing theextension of a skirt portion of the sleeve after detachment of an upperportion of the sleeve.

[0021]FIG. 17 is a perspective view of the sleeve of FIG. 16 after theupper portion has been removed.

[0022]FIG. 18 is an elevational view of another version of the sleeve ofFIG. 1 having notched perforated areas for enhancing extension of askirt portion of the sleeve after detachment of an upper portion of thesleeve.

[0023]FIG. 19 is a an elevational view of the sleeve of FIG. 18 afterthe upper sleeve portion has been removed.

[0024]FIG. 20 is an elevational view of an alternate version of a sleeveof the present invention wherein an upper portion of the sleeve isconstructed of a different material than a lower portion of the sleeve.

[0025]FIG. 21 is a perspective view of a version of a sleeve of thepresent invention wherein the sleeve comprises expansion elements forenhancing extension of a skirt portion once an upper portion is removed.

[0026]FIG. 22 is a perspective view of the sleeve of FIG. 21 after theupper portion has been removed and the skirt portion is extended.

[0027]FIG. 23 is a perspective view of a sleeve similar to the sleeve ofFIG. 21 except the expansion elements do not extend completely to anupper end of the sleeve.

[0028]FIG. 24 is a cross-sectional view of the sleeve of FIG. 23 takenalong line 24-24 thereof.

[0029]FIG. 25 is a perspective view of another version of a sleeve ofthe present invention wherein the sleeve comprises z-shaped expansionelements for enhancing extension of a skirt portion.

[0030]FIG. 26 is a perspective view of the sleeve of FIG. 25 after anupper portion has been removed to reveal the skirt portion.

[0031]FIG. 27 is a perspective view of a sleeve similar to the sleeve ofFIG. 25 except the z-shaped expansion elements do not extend completelyto an upper end of the sleeve.

[0032]FIG. 28 is a cross-sectional view of the sleeve of FIG. 27 takenalong line 28-28 thereof.

[0033]FIG. 29 is a perspective view of a version of a sleeve of thepresent invention wherein the sleeve comprises fluted or groove-shapedexpansion elements for enhancing extension of a skirt portion.

[0034]FIG. 30 is a perspective view of the sleeve of FIG. 29 after anupper portion has been removed to reveal the skirt portion.

[0035]FIG. 31 is a perspective view of a sleeve similar to the sleeve ofFIG. 29 except the fluted or groove-shaped expansion elements do notextend completely to an upper end of the sleeve.

[0036]FIG. 32 is a cross-sectional view of the sleeve of FIG. 31 takenalong line 32-32 thereof.

[0037]FIG. 33 is a perspective view of a sleeve which is exactly thesame as the sleeve of FIG. 23 except it has a support extension on theupper end.

[0038]FIG. 34 is a perspective view of a sleeve which is exactly thesame as FIG. 23 except it has handles on the upper end.

[0039]FIG. 35 is a cross-sectional view of a pot used in accordance withthe present invention.

[0040]FIG. 36 is a cross-sectional view of a pot cover having a bondingmaterial on a portion of its inner surface.

[0041]FIG. 37 is a cross-sectional view of the pot of FIG. 35 disposedin the pot cover of FIG. 36 showing the connection of the pot to aninner surface of the pot cover.

[0042]FIG. 38 is a cross-sectional view of a sleeve having an open lowerend and having a bonding material on a portion of an inner surface neara lower end.

[0043]FIG. 39 is a cross-sectional view of the pot and cover of FIG. 37disposed within the sleeve of FIG. 38 wherein a portion of an outersurface of the pot cover is connected to the sleeve.

[0044]FIG. 40 is a cross-sectional view of a pot cover having a bondingmaterial on both a portion of an inner surface and on a portion of anouter surface of the pot cover.

[0045]FIG. 41 is a cross-sectional view of the pot cover of FIG. 40having disposed therein the pot of FIG. 35 wherein the pot is connectedto the inner surface of the pot cover by the bonding material on theinner surface of the pot cover.

[0046]FIG. 42 is a cross-sectional view of a sleeve having an open lowerend similar to the sleeve of FIG. 38 except having no bonding materialon an inner surface.

[0047]FIG. 43 is a cross-sectional view of the pot cover and pot of FIG.41 disposed in the sleeve of FIG. 42 wherein an outer surface of the potcover is connected to the inner surface of the sleeve via bondingmaterial on the outer surface of the pot cover.

[0048]FIG. 44 is a cross-sectional view of a pot cover and pot such asthat shown in FIG. 41 disposed in the sleeve of FIG. 38 wherein thebonding material of the pot cover engages the bonding material on thesleeve.

[0049]FIG. 45 is a cross-sectional view of a pot having a bondingmaterial on a portion of an outer surface thereof.

[0050]FIG. 46 is a cross-sectional view of a preformed pot cover havingno bonding material thereon.

[0051]FIG. 47 is a cross-sectional view of the pot of FIG. 45 disposedwithin the preformed pot cover of FIG. 46 wherein the cover and pot areconnected via the bonding material on the pot.

[0052]FIG. 48 is a cross-sectional view of the pot and preformed potcover of FIG. 47 disposed within the sleeve of FIG. 38 wherein thepreformed pot cover is connected to the sleeve via bonding material onthe inner surface of the sleeve.

[0053]FIG. 49 is a cross-sectional view of a preformed pot cover havingbonding material on a portion of an outer surface thereof.

[0054]FIG. 50 is a cross-sectional view of the pot of FIG. 45 disposedwithin the pot cover of FIG. 49 wherein the pot is connected to an innersurface of the pot cover via bonding material on the pot.

[0055]FIG. 51 is a cross-sectional view of the pot cover and pot of FIG.50 disposed within the sleeve of FIG. 42 wherein the bonding material onthe outer surface of the pot cover bonds to a portion of the innersurface of the sleeve.

[0056]FIG. 52 is a cross-sectional view of the pot of FIG. 45 disposedwithin the pot cover of FIG. 40 wherein the pot is connected to an innersurface of the pot cover via the bonding material disposed on a portionof the outer surface of the pot.

[0057]FIG. 53 is a cross-sectional view of the pot cover and pot of FIG.50 disposed within a sleeve exactly the same as the sleeve shown in FIG.38 wherein the bonding material on the outer surface of the pot coverconnects with the bonding material on the inner surface of the sleeve.

[0058]FIG. 54 is a perspective view of an apparatus for pulling a sleeveabout a pot cover.

[0059]FIG. 55 is a perspective view showing another step in using theapparatus of FIG. 54.

[0060]FIG. 56 is a perspective view of a plant package constructed inaccordance with the present invention showing a sleeve connected to apotted plant via a bonding material on a lower end of the sleeve.

[0061]FIG. 57 is a perspective view of a sleeve connected to a pottedplant via a bonding material on an upper end of a pot.

[0062]FIG. 58 is a perspective view of a plant package having a sleeveconnected to a pot wherein a bonding material is on a lower end of thesleeve and on an upper end of the pot.

[0063]FIG. 59 is a perspective view of a plant package having a sleeveconnected to a pot wherein a bonding material is disposed on an innersurface and an outer surface of a lower end of the sleeve.

[0064]FIG. 60 is a partial cutaway, perspective view of a sleeve havingan up-turned lower end and having a bonding material disposed upon aportion of the up-turned lower end and wherein the bonding material iscovered by a cover or release strip.

[0065]FIG. 61 is a perspective view of the sleeve of FIG. 60 disposedabout a pot with a portion of the release strip peeled away.

[0066]FIG. 62 is a perspective view of the sleeve and pot of FIG. 61wherein the release strip is completely removed from the bondingmaterial.

[0067]FIG. 63 is a perspective view of the sleeve and pot of FIG. 62wherein the up-turned portion of the sleeve with the bonding material isdisposed partially downwardly about the pot.

[0068]FIG. 64 is a perspective view of the sleeve and pot of FIG. 63wherein the lower end of the sleeve is fully connected to the pot and aportion of the sleeve is detached at an upper end of the sleeve.

[0069]FIG. 65 is a perspective view of a preformed pot cover.

[0070]FIG. 66 is a perspective view of a preformed pot cover like thecover of FIG. 65 but also having a bonding material disposed on aportion of an inner surface thereof.

[0071]FIG. 67 is a perspective view of the potted plant and sleeve ofFIG. 64 disposed in the preformed pot cover of either FIG. 65 or FIG.66.

[0072]FIG. 68 is a perspective view of a potted plant disposed within adecorative cover.

[0073]FIG. 69 is a perspective view of another sleeve constructed inaccordance with the present invention having a bonding material on aninner surface of the sleeve near an upper end of the sleeve and havingexpansion elements disposed within the sleeve.

[0074]FIG. 70 is a perspective view of the potted plant of FIG. 68 withthe upper end of the sleeve of FIG. 69 connected to the pot cover by thebonding material on the sleeve.

[0075]FIG. 71 is a perspective view of the sleeve and potted plant ofFIG. 70 wherein a lower end of the sleeve has been pulled upwardlytoward an upper end of the pot.

[0076]FIG. 72 is a perspective view of the sleeve and potted plant ofFIG. 71 after the sleeve has been pulled completely upwardly above thepot.

[0077]FIG. 73 is a perspective view of the sleeve and potted plant ofFIG. 72 after an upper portion of the sleeve has been detached leavingthe lower end of the sleeve attached to an outer surface of the pottedplant.

[0078]FIG. 74 is a cross-sectional view of another version of a sleeveconstructed in accordance with the present invention wherein a separateskirt portion is connected to an inner surface of the sleeve via abonding material.

[0079]FIG. 75 is a perspective view of the sleeve and connected skirt ofFIG. 74.

[0080]FIG. 76 is a perspective view of a potted plant disposed upon asheet of material having a bonding material on a portion of a lowersurface of the sheet of material.

[0081]FIG. 77 is a perspective view of the sheet of material of FIG. 76wrapped about the potted plant of FIG. 76 to form a pot cover havingbonding material on an outer surface thereof.

[0082]FIG. 78 is a perspective view of another sleeve constructed inaccordance with the present invention.

[0083]FIG. 79 is a perspective view of the potted plant of FIG. 77disposed within the sleeve of FIG. 78 wherein the sleeve of FIG. 78 isconnected to an outer portion of the pot cover of FIG. 77 by the bondingmaterial on the outer surface of the cover.

[0084]FIG. 80 is a partial cutaway, perspective view of a sleeveconstructed in accordance with the present invention, the sleeve havinga bonding material disposed upon portions of an inner surface thereof.

[0085]FIG. 81 is a perspective view of a covered pot such as the coveredpot of FIG. 77 disposed within the sleeve of FIG. 80 wherein the bondingmaterial on the cover is connected to the bonding material on thesleeve.

[0086]FIG. 82 is an elevational view of a sheet of material having abonding material near two edges of the sheet of material.

[0087]FIG. 83 is a perspective view of the sheet of material of FIG. 82wrapped about a covered potted plant in accordance with the method ofthe present invention.

[0088]FIG. 84 is an elevational view of a sheet of material having abonding material disposed near three edges of the sheet of material.

[0089]FIG. 85 is a perspective view of the sheet of material of FIG. 84wrapped about a covered potted plant to form a sleeve with an upper endof the sleeve partially sealed.

[0090]FIG. 86 is a perspective view of the sleeve formed from the sheetof material of FIG. 84 having the upper end thereof completely sealed.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0091] The present invention contemplates a plant packaging systemcomprising a combination of a protective sleeve portion and a decorativecover portion having a base and skirt for packaging a potted plant. Theprotective sleeve portion can be detached from the decorative coverportion of the package system once the protective function of the sleeveportion has been completed, thereby exposing the decorative coverportion and allowing the skirt to extend angularly from the base. Theprotective sleeve portion and decorative cover portion may be of unitaryconstruction or may be separate components which are attached togetherby various bonding materials.

[0092] More specifically, the present invention contemplates a plantcover for covering a pot having an outer peripheral surface. The plantcover comprises (1) a base portion having a lower end, an upper end, anouter peripheral surface, and an area of excess material for allowingextension of a portion of the base portion and having an openingextending from the upper end to the lower end, and (2) an upper portionextending from the upper end of the base portion and detachabletherefrom, and wherein when the upper portion is detached from the upperend of the base portion, the area of excess material expands causingportions of the base portion to extend angularly from the base. Ingeneral, the base portion is sized to substantially cover the outerperipheral surface of the pot. The upper portion may be detachable via adetaching element such as perforations, tear strips and zippers. Theplant cover may have an extended portion extending from the upperportion for serving as a handle or support device.

[0093] More particularly, the present invention may be a plant covercomprising (1) a base portion having a lower end, an upper end, and anouter peripheral surface and having an opening extending from the upperend to the lower end, (2) an upper portion extending from the upper endof the base portion and detachable therefrom, (3) and an expansionelement integral to the base portion and optionally integral to theupper portion, for allowing expansion of a portion of the base portioninto a skirt portion extending angularly from the base portion when theupper portion is detached from the upper end of the base portion. Theexpansion element may be a plurality of vertical pleats, a plurality ofvertical folds each having a Z-shaped cross section, a plurality ofvertical accordion-type folds, or other similar types of expandableforms.

[0094] More particularly, the plant cover may comprise (1) a baseportion having a lower end, an upper end, an outer peripheral surface,and having an opening extending from the upper end to the lower end, (2)a skirt portion attached to the base portion and having an upper end andextending a distance beyond the upper end of the base portion, (3) anexpansion element integral to at least one of the skirt portion and thebase portion for enabling at least a portion of the skirt portion to beextended angularly from the base portion, and (4) an upper portionattached to the upper end of the skirt portion and detachable therefrom,and wherein when the upper portion is detached from the upper end of theskirt portion, the expansion element enables the skirt portion to beextended angularly from the base portion.

[0095] The present invention further contemplates a tubular sleeve forcontaining a pot assembly, and having a lower end, an upper end, anouter peripheral surface, and an inner peripheral surface surrounding aninner retaining space. The tubular sleeve may comprise (1) a baseportion having a lower end and an upper end and a retaining space forenclosing the pot assembly, and sized to substantially cover the potassembly, (2) a skirt portion extending beyond the upper end of the baseportion and continuous therewith and having an upper peripheral edge,and (3) an upper portion having an upper peripheral edge and a lowerperipheral edge, the lower peripheral edge connected to the upperperipheral edge of the skirt portion and detachable therefrom andextending a distance therefrom, and sized to substantially surround andencompass a floral grouping, and wherein when the upper portion isdetached from the upper peripheral edge of the skirt portion, the skirtportion extends angularly from the base portion.

[0096] The tubular sleeve may further comprise an expansion elementintegral to at least one of the skirt portion and the base portion forenhancing the angular extension of at least a portion of the skirtportion away from the base portion. The base portion and the skirtportion may be constructed from a first material and the upper portionmay be constructed from a second material different from the firstmaterial.

[0097] The tubular sleeve may form part of a plant package when used inconjunction with a pot assembly disposed within the retaining space ofthe base portion of the tubular sleeve, the pot assembly having a floralgrouping disposed therein, and wherein the pot assembly is substantiallysurrounded and encompassed by the base portion and the floral groupingis substantially surrounded and encompassed by the upper portion.

[0098] The present invention further contemplates a plant covercomprising, (1) a base portion having a lower end, an upper end, anouter peripheral surface, and having an opening extending from the upperend to the lower end, (2) a skirt portion attached to the base portionand extending a distance beyond the upper end of the base portion, and(3) an upper portion connected to the outer peripheral surface of thebase portion and extending from the upper end of the base portion anddetachable therefrom and substantially surrounding the skirt portion,and wherein when the upper portion is detached from the upper end of thebase portion, the skirt portion is exposed allowing the skirt portion toextend angularly from the base portion. Further, the base portion maycomprise a bonding material for bondingly connecting to the upperportion. Also, the base portion may comprise a bonding material forbondingly connecting to a pot disposed therein. Further, the upperportion may comprise a bonding material for bondingly connecting to thebase portion. The plant cover may further comprise part of a plantpackage which includes a pot disposed within the inner retaining spaceof the base portion, the pot having a floral grouping disposed therein,and wherein the pot is substantially surrounded and encompassed by thebase portion and the floral grouping is substantially surrounded andencompassed by the upper portion.

[0099] The present invention further contemplates a plant covercomprising (1) a tubular sleeve having a lower end, an upper end, anouter peripheral surface, and an inner peripheral surface surrounding aninner retaining space, and further comprising (a) a base portion forenclosing a pot, the base portion having an upper end and a lower endand sized to substantially cover the outer peripheral surface of thepot, and (b) an upper portion having an upper end and a lower end, thelower end detachably connected to the upper end of the base portion andextending a distance therefrom, and wherein the upper portion is sizedto substantially surround and encompass a floral grouping disposedwithin the pot, and (2) a skirt portion positioned within the tubularsleeve and having an upper end and a lower end, the lower end attachedto the inner peripheral surface of the base portion, the upper end ofthe skirt portion freely extending a distance beyond the upper end ofthe base portion and substantially surrounded and encompassed by theupper portion and wherein when the upper portion is detached from theupper end of the base portion, the skirt portion is exposed allowing theskirt portion to be extended angularly from the upper end of the baseportion.

[0100] The base portion and the skirt portion of the tubular sleeve maybe constructed from a first material and the upper portion constructedfrom a second material different from the first material. The baseportion and the upper portion of the tubular sleeve may be constructedfrom a first material and the skirt portion constructed from a secondmaterial different from the first material. The plant cover may comprisea portion of a plant package which additionally comprises a pot disposedwithin the tubular sleeve, the pot having a floral grouping disposedtherein, and wherein the pot is substantially surrounded and encompassedby the base portion and the floral grouping is substantially surroundedand encompassed by the upper portion.

[0101] These embodiments and others of the present invention are nowdescribed in more detail below.

The Embodiments and Methods of Use of FIGS. 1-20

[0102] Shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 2A, 4 and 4A and designated therein by thegeneral reference numeral 10 is a flexible bag or sleeve of unitaryconstruction. The sleeve 10 initially comprises a flexible flatcollapsed piece of material which is openable in the form of a tube orsleeve (FIGS. 2 and 2A). The sleeve 10 may be tapered outwardly from thelower end toward a larger diameter at its upper end. In its flattenedstate the sleeve 10 has an overall trapezoidal or modified trapezoidalshape, and when opened is substantially frusto-conical to coniform. Itwill be appreciated, however, that the sleeve 10 may comprise variationson the aforementioned shapes or may comprise significantly alteredshapes such as square or rectangular, wherein the sleeve 10 when openedhas a cylindrical form, as long as the sleeve 10 functions in accordancewith the present invention in the manner described herein.

[0103] The sleeve 10 has an upper end 12, a lower end 14, an outerperipheral surface 16 and in its flattened state has a first side 18 anda second side 20. The sleeve 10 has an opening 21 (FIG. 2) at the upperend 12 and may be open at the lower end 14, or provided with excessmaterial at least sufficient to form a closed bottom of the sleeve 10 atthe lower end 14. The sleeve 10 also has an inner peripheral surface 22which, when the sleeve 10 is opened, defines and encompasses an innerretaining space 24 as shown in FIGS. 2 and 2A. When the lower end 14 ofthe sleeve 10 has a closed bottom, a portion of the lower end 14 may beinwardly folded to form one or more gussets for permitting a circularbottom of an object such as a potted plant 30 (FIGS. 2 and 4) to bedisposed into the inner retaining space 24 of the lower end 14 of thesleeve 10.

[0104] The sleeve 10 is generally frusto-conically shaped, but thesleeve 10 may be, by way of example but not by way of limitation,cylindrical, frustoconical, a combination of both frusto-conical andcylindrical, or any other shape, as long as the sleeve 10 functions asdescribed herein as noted above. Further, the sleeve 10 may comprise anyshape, whether geometric, non-geometric, asymmetrical and/or fanciful aslong as it functions in accordance with the present invention. Thesleeve 10 may also be equipped with drains or ventilation holes (notshown), or can be made from permeable or impermeable materials.

[0105] The material from which the sleeve 10 is constructed has athickness in a range from about 0.1 mil to about 30 mils. Often, thethickness of the sleeve 10 is in a range from about 0.5 mil to about 10mils. Preferably, the sleeve 10 has a thickness in a range from about1.0 mil to about 5 mils. More preferably, the sleeve 10 is constructedfrom a material which is flexible, semi-rigid, rigid, or any combinationthereof. The sleeve 10 may be constructed of a single layer of materialor a plurality of layers of the same or different types of materials.Any thickness of the material may be utilized as long as the materialfunctions in accordance with the present invention as described herein.The layers of material comprising the sleeve 10 may be connectedtogether or laminated or may be separate layers. Such materials used toconstruct the sleeve 10 are described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,111,637entitled “Method For Wrapping A Floral Grouping” issued to Weder et al.,on May 12, 1992, which is hereby expressly incorporated herein byreference. Any thickness of material may be utilized in accordance withthe present invention as long as the sleeve 10 may be formed asdescribed herein, and as long as the formed sleeve 10 may contain atleast a portion of a pot 32 or the potted plant 30 or a floral grouping,as described herein. Additionally, an insulating material such as bubblefilm, preferable as one of two or more layers, can be utilized in orderto provide additional protection for the item, such as the floralgrouping, contained therein.

[0106] In one embodiment, the sleeve 10 may be constructed from twopolypropylene films. The material comprising the sleeve 10 may beconnected together or laminated or may be separate layers. In analternative embodiment, the sleeve 10 may be constructed from only oneof the polypropylene films.

[0107] The sleeve 10 may also be constructed, in whole or in part, froma cling material. “Cling Wrap or Material” when used herein means anymaterial which is capable of connecting to the sheet of material and/oritself upon contacting engagement during the wrapping process and iswrappable about an item whereby portions of the cling materialcontactingly engage and connect to other portions of another material,or, alternatively, itself, for generally securing the material wrappedabout at least a portion of the pot 32. This connecting engagement ispreferably temporary in that the material may be easily removed, i.e.,the cling material “clings” to the pot 32.

[0108] The cling material is constructed and treated if necessary, frompolyethylene such as Cling Wrap made by Glad®, First Brands Corporation,Danbury, Connecticut. The thickness of the cling material will, in part,depend upon the size of sleeve 10 and the size of the pot 32 in thesleeve 10, i.e., generally, a larger pot 32 may require a thicker andtherefore stronger cling material. The cling material will range inthickness from less than about 0.1 mil to about 10 mils, and preferablyless than about 0.5 mil to about 2.5 mils and most preferably from lessthan about 0.6 mil to about 2 mils. However, any thickness of clingmaterial may be utilized in accordance with the present invention whichpermits the cling material to function as described herein.

[0109] The sleeve 10 is constructed from any suitable material that iscapable of being formed into a sleeve and wrapped about the potted plant30 or the pot 32. Preferably, the material comprises paper (untreated ortreated in any manner), metal foil, polymeric film, non-polymeric film,fabric (woven or nonwoven or synthetic or natural), cardboard, fiber,cloth, burlap, or laminations or combinations thereof.

[0110] The term “polymeric film” means a material made of a syntheticpolymer such as a polypropylene or a naturally occurring polymer such ascellophane. A polymeric film is relatively strong and not as subject totearing (substantially non-tearable), as might be the case with paper orfoil.

[0111] The material employed in the construction of the sleeve 10 mayvary in color and may consist of designs or decorative patterns whichare printed, etched, and/or embossed thereon using inks or otherprinting materials. An example of an ink which may be applied to thesurface of the material is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,147,706 entitled“Water Based Ink On Foil And/Or Synthetic Organic Polymer” issued toKingman on Sep. 15, 1992 and which is hereby expressly incorporatedherein by reference.

[0112] In addition, the material may have various colorings, coatings,flocking and/or metallic finishes, or other decorative surfaceornamentation applied separately or simultaneously or may becharacterized totally or partially by pearlescent, translucent,transparent, iridescent, neon, or the like, qualities. Each of theabove-named characteristics may occur alone or in combination and may beapplied to the upper and/or lower surface of the material comprising thesleeve 10. Moreover, portions of the material used in constructing thesleeve 10 may vary in the combination of such characteristics. Thematerial utilized for the sleeve 10 itself may be opaque, translucent,transparent, or partially clear or tinted transparent.

[0113] It will generally be desired to use the sleeve 10 as a coveringfor the potted plant 30 (FIG. 2) or a floral grouping or plant 42 onlyand growing medium 43 (FIG. 2A). As shown in FIG. 3, the potted plant 30comprises the pot 32 having an upper rim 34, a lower end 36, an outerperipheral surface 38, and an inner peripheral surface which encompassesan inner retaining space 40 for retaining the floral grouping or plant42. The lower end 36 of the pot 32 is closed but may have holes forpermitting water drainage (see FIG. 6). The term “pot” as used hereinrefers to any type of container used for holding the floral grouping orplant 42. Examples of pots, used in accordance with the presentinvention include, but not by way of limitation, clay pots, wooden pots,plastic pots, pots made from natural and/or synthetic fibers, or anycombination thereof. The pot 32 is adapted to receive the floralgrouping 42 in the inner retaining space 40. The floral grouping 42 maybe disposed within the pot 32 along with a suitable growing medium 43described in further detail below, or other retaining medium, such as afloral foam. It will also be understood that the floral grouping 42, andany appropriate growing medium 43 or other retaining medium, may bedisposed in the sleeve 10 without the pot 32 (as shown in FIGS. 2A and4A).

[0114] The term “floral grouping” as used herein means cut freshflowers, artificial flowers, a single flower or other fresh and/orartificial plants or other floral materials and may include othersecondary plants and/or ornamentation or artificial or natural materialswhich add to the aesthetics of the overall floral grouping. The floralgrouping 42 comprises a bloom or foliage portion and a stem portion.Further, the floral grouping 42 may comprise a growing potted planthaving a root portion (not shown) as well. However, it will beappreciated that the floral grouping may consist of only a single bloomor only foliage, or a botanical item (not shown), or a propagule (notshown). The term “floral grouping” may be used interchangeably hereinwith both the terms “floral arrangement” and “potted plant”. The term“floral grouping” may also be used interchangeably herein with the terms“botanical item” and/or “propagule.”

[0115] The term “growing medium” when used herein means any liquid,solid or gaseous material used for plant growth or for the cultivationof propagules, including organic and inorganic materials such as soil,humus, perlite, vermiculite, sand, water, and including the nutrients,fertilizers or hormones or combinations thereof required by the plantsor propagules for growth.

[0116] The term “botanical item” when used herein means a natural orartificial herbaceous or woody plant, taken singly or in combination.The term “botanical item” also means any portion or portions of naturalor artificial herbaceous or woody plants including stems, leaves,flowers, blossoms, buds, blooms, cones, or roots, taken singly or incombination, or in groupings of such portions such as bouquet or floralgrouping.

[0117] The term “propagule” when used herein means any structure capableof being propagated or acting as an agent of reproduction includingseeds, shoots, stems, runners, tubers, plants, leaves, roots or spores.

[0118] In accordance with the present invention, a bonding material maybe disposed on a portion of the sleeve 10 to assist in holding thesleeve 10 to the pot 32 having the floral grouping 42 therein when sucha pot 32 is disposed within the sleeve 10 or to assist in closing theupper end 12 of the sleeve 10 or adhering the sleeve 10 to the pot 32after the pot 32 has been disposed therein, as will be discussed infurther detail below.

[0119] It will be understood that the bonding material may be disposedas a strip or block on a surface of the sleeve 10. The bonding materialmay also be disposed upon either the outer peripheral surface 16 or theinner peripheral surface 22 of the sleeve 10, as well as upon the pot32. Further, the bonding material may be disposed as spots of bondingmaterial, or in any other geometric, non-geometric, asymmetric, orfanciful form, and in any pattern including covering either the entireinner peripheral surface and/or outer peripheral surface of the sleeve10 and/or the pot or pot cover. The bonding material may be covered by acover or release strip which can be removed prior to the use of thesleeve, pot or pot cover. The bonding material can be applied by meansknown to those of ordinary skill in their art. One method for disposinga bonding material , in this case an adhesive, is described in U.S. Pat.No. 5,111,637 entitled “Method For Wrapping A Floral Grouping” issued toWeder et al., on May 12, 1992, which has been incorporated by referenceabove.

[0120] The term “bonding material” when used herein means an adhesive,frequently a pressure sensitive adhesive, or a cohesive. When thebonding material is a cohesive, a similar cohesive material must beplaced on the adjacent surface for bondingly contacting and bondinglyengaging with the cohesive material. The term “bonding material” alsoincludes materials which are heat sealable and, in this instance, theadjacent portions of the material must be brought into contact and thenheat must be applied to effect the seal. The term “bonding material”also includes materials which are sonic sealable and vibratory sealable.The term “bonding material” when used herein also means a heat sealinglacquer or hot melt material which may be applied to the material and,in this instance, heat, sound waves, or vibrations, also must be appliedto effect the sealing.

[0121] The term “bonding material” when used herein also means any typeof material or thing which can be used to effect the bonding orconnecting of the two adjacent portions of the material or sheet ofmaterial to effect the connection or bonding described herein. The term“bonding material” may also include ties, labels, bands, ribbons,strings, tapes (including single or double-sided adhesive tapes),staples or combinations thereof. Some of the bonding materials wouldsecure the ends of the material while other bonding material may bindthe circumference of a wrapper, or a sleeve, or, alternatively and/or inaddition, the bonding materials would secure overlapping folds in thematerial and/or sleeve. Another way to secure the wrapping and/or sleeveis to heat seal the ends of the material to another portion of thematerial. One way to do this is to contact the ends with an iron ofsufficient heat to heat seal the material.

[0122] Alternatively, a cold seal adhesive may be utilized as thebonding material. The cold seal adhesive adheres only to a similarsubstrate, acting similarly as a cohesive, and binds only to itself. Thecold seal adhesive, since it bonds only to a similar substrate, does notcause a residue to build up on equipment, thereby both permitting muchmore rapid disposition and use of such equipment to form articles andreducing labor costs. Further, since no heat is required to effect theseal, the dwell time, that is, the time for the sheet of material toform and retain the shape of an article, such as a flower pot cover orflower pot, is reduced. A cold seal adhesive binds quickly and easilywith minimal pressure, and such a seal is not readily releasable. Thischaracteristic is different from, for example, a pressure sensitiveadhesive.

[0123] The term “bonding material” when used herein also means any heator chemically shrinkable material, and static electrical or otherelectrical materials, chemical welding materials, magnetic materials,mechanical or barb-type type fastening materials or clamps, curl-typecharacteristics of the film or materials incorporated in material whichcan cause the material to take on certain shapes, cling films, slots,grooves, shrinkable materials and bands, curl materials, springs, andany type of welding method which may weld portions of the material toitself or to the pot, or to both the material itself and the pot.

[0124] Certain versions of the sleeve 10 described herein may be used inconjunction with a preformed plant cover as explained in greater detailbelow.

[0125] As shown in FIG. 1, the sleeve 10 is demarcated into an upperportion 44 having an outer surface area 45 and a lower portion 46 havingan outer surface area 47. The lower portion 46 of the sleeve 10 isgenerally sized to contain and tapered to fit the potted plant 30 or pot32. The upper portion 44 of the sleeve 10 is sized to substantiallysurround and encompass the floral grouping 42 of the potted plant 30 (orfloral grouping 42 alone in FIG. 2A) disposed within the lower portion46 of the sleeve 10. The sleeve 10 is demarcated into the upper portion44 and the lower portion 46 by a detaching element 48 for enabling thedetachment of the upper portion 44 of the sleeve 10 from the lowerportion 46 of the sleeve 10. In the present version, the detachingelement 48 is a plurality of generally laterally-oriented oralternatingly diagonally-oriented perforations which extendcircumferentially across the outer peripheral surface 16 of the sleeve10 from the first side 18 to the second side 20. The term “detachingelement,” as used generally herein, means any element, or combination ofelements, or features, such as, but not by way of limitation,perforations, tear strips, zippers, and any other devices or elements ofthis nature known in the art, or any combination thereof, which enablethe tearing away or detachment of one object from another. Therefore,while perforations are shown and described in detail herein, it will beunderstood that tear strips, zippers, or any other “detaching elements”known in the art, or any combination thereof, could be substitutedtherefore and/or used therewith.

[0126] In a preferred embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 2A, thelower portion 46 of the sleeve 10 further comprises a base portion 50,and a skirt portion 52. The base portion 50 comprises that part of thelower portion 46 which, when the pot 32 is placed into the lower portion46, has an inner peripheral surface which is substantially adjacent toand surrounds the outer peripheral surface 38 of the pot 32. The skirtportion 52 comprises that part of the lower portion 46 which comprises aplurality of portions 53 which extend beyond the upper rim 34 of the pot32 and adjacent at least a portion of the floral grouping 42 containedwithin the pot 32 and which is left to freely extend at an angle,inwardly or outwardly, from the base portion 50 when the upper portion44 of the sleeve 10 is detached from the lower portion 46 of the sleeve10 by actuation of the detaching element 48. In the intact sleeve 10,the skirt portion 52 comprises an upper peripheral edge congruent withthe detaching element 48 which is connected to a lower peripheral edge,also congruent with the detaching element 48, of the upper portion 44 ofthe sleeve 10. In FIGS. 1, 2 and 2A, the upper peripheral edge of theskirt portion 52 is congruent with a series of alternatinglydiagonally-oriented lines of perforations which together form a zig-zagand comprise the detaching element 48.

[0127] The upper portion 44 of the sleeve 10 may also have an additionaldetaching element 54 indicated as a plurality of vertical perforationsfor facilitating removal of the upper portion 44 and which are disposedmore or less vertically therein extending between the detaching element48 and the upper end 12 of the sleeve 10. The upper portion 44 of thesleeve 10 is separable from the lower portion 46 of the sleeve 10 bytearing the upper portion 44 along both the detaching element 54 and thedetaching element 48, thereby separating the upper portion 44 from thelower portion 46 of the sleeve 10. The lower portion 46 of the sleeve 10remains disposed as the base portion 50 about the pot 32 and as theskirt portion 52 about the floral grouping 42 forming a decorative cover56 as shown in FIG. 4 which substantially surrounds and encompasses theflower pot 32 or floral grouping 42 and growing medium 43 (FIG. 4A).

[0128] It will be understood that equipment and devices for formingfloral sleeves are commercially available, and are well known to aperson of ordinary skill in the art.

[0129] As noted above, the sleeve 10 may have an open or closed lowerend 14. When the lower end 14 is closed the lower end 14 may have one ormore gussets 60 formed therein such as that seen in sleeve 10 a in FIG.5 for allowing expansion of the lower end 14 when an object with a broadlower end such as the pot 32 is disposed therein. In another version ofthe present invention, as shown in sleeve 10 b in FIG. 6, a strip ofbonding material 62 may be disposed on the inner peripheral surface 22of the upper portion 44 of the sleeve 10 b generally in the vicinity ofthe upper end 12 of the sleeve 10 b for allowing the upper end 12 to besealed for enclosing the upper portion 44 of the sleeve 10 b about afloral grouping disposed therein. In another version of the presentinvention shown in FIG. 7, a sleeve 10 c comprises a flap 64 positionedat the upper end 12 which can be folded over and sealed with a flapbonding strip 66 to an adjacent portion of the outer peripheral surface16 of the sleeve 10 c near the upper end 12 thereof. Other versions ofthe sleeve (for example, as represented in FIG. 6) may compriseventilation holes 61 or drainage holes 63 for allowing movement of gasesor moisture to and away from the inner space of the sleeve.

[0130] In another version of the present invention, shown in FIG. 8, asleeve 10 d is exactly like the sleeve 10 but further comprises an innerstrip of bonding material 68 disposed upon a portion of the innerperipheral surface 22 of the base portion 50 of the sleeve 10 d. Thestrip of bonding material 68 functions to enable the inner peripheralsurface 22, or a portion thereof, to be bondingly connected to the outerperipheral surface 38 of the pot 32 disposed therein causing the sleeve10 d to be bondingly connected to the pot 32.

[0131] In yet another version of the present invention, shown in FIGS.9-13, a bonding material 70 is disposed on a portion of the outerperipheral surface 16 of the base portion 50 of a sleeve 10 e. After thepot 32 is disposed in the inner retaining space 24 of the base portion50, the sleeve 10 e is manually or automatically crimped about the outerperipheral surface 38 of the pot 32 in the vicinity of the bondingmaterial 70 thereby forming overlapping folds 72 in the base portion 50which are bondingly connected together by the bonding material 70 to addstructural integrity to the base portion 50 and to cooperate to hold thebase portion 50 in the shape of a pot cover or for causing the baseportion 50 of the sleeve 10 e to engage the outer peripheral surface 38of the pot 32 and be held firmly thereabout. The bonding material 70 maybe disposed on the sleeve 10 e at a position below the upper rim 34 ofthe pot 32 (FIGS. 9-11) or may be disposed at a position on the baseportion 50 of the sleeve 10 e above the upper rim 34 of the pot 32 (suchas shown in FIGS. 12-13) such that the overlapping folds 72 crimpinglyformed are located in a position generally above the upper rim 34 of thepot 32.

[0132] In another embodiment, shown in FIG. 14, the sleeve designated as10 f, may further comprise an extended portion comprising a supportextension 76 which extends away from a portion of the upper end 12 ofthe sleeve 10 f. The support extension 76 has one or more apertures 78disposed therein thereby adapting the sleeve 10 f to be supported on asupport assembly (not shown) commercially available and known by one ofordinary skill in the art such as a pair of wickets for shipment,storage, assembly of the sleeve 10 f, placement of the pot 32 within thesleeve 10 f, or other functions known in the art. The support extension76 may have a plurality of perforations 80 or other detaching elementsfor allowing the support extension 76 to be removed from the upper end12 of the sleeve 10 f after the sleeve 10 f has been provided for use asdescribed elsewhere herein. In another version of the invention, shownin FIG. 15, a sleeve 10 g has an extended portion comprising a handle 82for carrying the potted plant package inside the sleeve 10 g. The sleeve10 g may further comprise a detaching element 84 comprising perforationsfor removing the handle 82 at a later time.

[0133] Other versions of the present invention shown in FIGS. 16-19, maycomprise additional perforated areas for enhancing angularity of theextension of the skirt portion away from the base portion after theupper portion of the sleeve has been detached. For example, sleeve 10 hin FIG. 16 comprises perforations 86 which extend vertically downwardfrom the downward-pointing apexes 88 in the detaching element 48,comprising lateral perforations, which demarcates the upper peripheraledge of the skirt portion 52 of the sleeve 10 h. After the upper portion44 of the sleeve 10 h is detached, the perforations 86 are open,allowing adjacent portions of the skirt portion 52 to be deflected at anincreased angle to the base portion 50 as shown in FIG. 17.

[0134] Similarly, sleeve 10 i in FIG. 18 comprises notch perforations 90which allow the removal of a notch of material 92 in the vicinity of thedownward-pointing apexes 88 in the detaching element 48, comprisinglateral perforations, which demarcates the upper peripheral edge of theskirt portion 52 of the sleeve 10 i. After the upper portion 44 of thesleeve 10 i is detached, the notches 92 are removed, allowing theadjacent portions of the skirt portion 52 to be deflected at anincreased angle to the base portion 50 as shown in FIG. 19.

[0135] Sleeve 10 j, shown in FIG. 20, is an example of a sleeveconstructed generally in accordance with the invention as describedherein except the sleeve 10 j has an upper portion 94 which isconstructed of a material different from a lower portion 95. The upperportion 94 and lower portion 95 are shown as bondingly connected along asealed area 96. The upper portion 94, along with a portion of the lowerportion 95 may be disconnected from each other via a detaching elementsuch as perforations 97 and 98, as described earlier.

Embodiments and Methods of Use of FIGS. 21-34

[0136] Attention is now drawn to the sleeve shown in FIG. 21 which isdesignated by the general reference numeral 100. The sleeve 100comprises a unitary construction and has a base portion 102 having asidewall 103, skirt portion 104, a sleeve portion 106 and at least oneexpansion element 108 and further has an outer peripheral surface 110,an open upper end 112 and a lower end 114 which may or may not be openor closed. The sleeve 100 has an inner retaining space 116 which extendsfrom the open upper end 112 to the lower end 114 and which isencompassed by an inner peripheral surface 118 of the sleeve 100. Thebase portion 102 is sized to substantially cover the outer peripheralsurface 38 of the pot 32 and the sleeve portion 106 is sized tosubstantially surround the floral grouping 42 within the pot 32 which isdisposed within the inner retaining space 116 of the sleeve 100.

[0137] The sleeve portion 106 extends from and is attached to the upperend 120 of the skirt portion 104 and is detachable therefrom via adetaching element 122 such as one described in detail above. Theexpansion element 108 is integral to at least one of the base portion102 and the skirt portion 104 and may extend into the sleeve portion 106as shown in FIG. 21. The expansion element 108 functions to allowexpansion of a portion of the skirt portion 104 of the sleeve 100 into askirt 124, such as the skirt 124 of a decorative cover 126 formedtherefrom and shown in FIG. 22 which extends angularly from the baseportion 102 when the sleeve portion 106 is detached from the upper end120 of the skirt portion 104.

[0138] As shown in FIG. 21, each expansion element 108 of the sleeve 100comprises one or more areas of excess material shaped in the form of apleat which extends from the base portion 102 to the upper end 112 ofthe sleeve 100. As used herein, the term “excess material” means anamount of material which has a greater surface area than would actuallybe necessary to form that portion of the plant covering were thatportion of the plant covering actually flattened. The expansion element108 can expand causing portions of the skirt portion 104 to extendangularly from the base portion 102 forming the skirt 124 and thedecorative cover 126 about a portion of the floral grouping 42 of thepotted plant 30 as shown in FIG. 22. It should be noted that althoughthe illustrated floral grouping 42 of FIG. 2 and others are differentfrom the floral group illustrated in, for example, FIG. 22, no practicaldifference is intended. The expansion element 108 may further comprise aplurality of detachable notches such as shown in FIGS. 18 and 19 and asexplained above.

[0139] Shown in FIG. 23 is a sleeve designated by the reference numeral100 a which is exactly the same as sleeve 100 except that sleeve 100 ahas a plurality of expansion elements 108 a which do not extend from thebase portion 102 a all the way to the upper end 112 a of the sleeveportion 106 a of the sleeve 100 a but only to a position below the upperend 112 a of the sleeve 100 a. Shown in FIG. 24 is a cross-sectionthrough the sleeve 100 a which reveals the pleated nature of theexpansion elements 108 a therein. When the sleeve portion 106 a isremoved, the expansion elements 108 a can expand as for sleeve 100 asdescribed above causing portions of the skirt portion 104 a to extendangularly from the base portion 102 a forming a skirt (not shown—a skirtexactly the same as the skirt 124 of the decorative cover 126 shown inFIG. 22).

[0140] Attention is now drawn to FIG. 25 and to the sleeve shown thereinwhich is designated by the general reference numeral 100 b. Sleeve 100 bis exactly the same as sleeve 100 except that the sleeve 100 b has aplurality of Z-shaped expansion elements 108 b. As for expansion element108 of sleeve 100, the expansion elements 108 b of sleeve 100 b canexpand causing portions of a skirt portion 104 b to extend angularlyfrom a base portion 102 b forming a skirt 124 b in a decorative cover126 b about a portion of the floral grouping 42 of the potted plant 30as shown in FIG. 26.

[0141] Similarly, shown in FIG. 27 is a sleeve designated by thereference numeral 100 c and which is exactly the same as sleeve 100 bexcept that sleeve 100 c has a plurality of expansion elements 108 cwhich do not extend from the base portion 102 c all the way to an upperend 112 c of an upper portion 106 c of the sleeve 100 c but only to aposition below the upper end 112 c of the sleeve 100 c. Shown in FIG. 28is a cross-section through the sleeve 100 c of FIG. 27 which reveals theZ-shaped nature of the expansion elements 108 c therein. When the upperportion 106 c is removed, the expansion elements 108 c can expand as forsleeve 100 b causing portions of a skirt portion 104 c to extendangularly from the base portion 102 c forming a skirt exactly the sameas the skirt 124 b of the decorative cover 126 b shown in FIG. 26.

[0142] Attention is now drawn to FIG. 29 and to the sleeve shown thereinwhich is designated by the general reference numeral 100 d. Sleeve 100 dis exactly the same as sleeve 100 except that the sleeve 100 d has aplurality of fluted or groove-shaped expansion elements 108 d. As forexpansion element 108 of sleeve 100, the expansion elements 108 d ofsleeve 100 d can expand causing portions of a skirt portion 104 d toextend angularly from a base portion 102 d forming a skirt 124 d of adecorative cover 126 d about a portion of the floral grouping 42 of thepotted plant 30 as shown in FIG. 30.

[0143] Similarly, shown in FIG. 31, is a sleeve designated by thereference numeral 100 e and which is exactly the same as sleeve 100 dexcept that sleeve 100 e has a plurality of expansion elements 108 ewhich do not extend from a base portion 102 e all the way to an upperend 112 e of an upper sleeve portion 106 e of the sleeve 100 e but onlyto a position below the upper end 112 e of the sleeve 100 e. Shown inFIG. 32 is a cross-section through the sleeve 100 e of FIG. 31 whichreveals the fluted nature of the expansion elements 108 e therein. Whenthe upper portion 106 e is removed, the expansion elements 108 e canexpand as for sleeve 100 d causing portions of the skirt portion 104 eto extend angularly from the base portion 102 e forming a skirt exactlythe same as skirt 124 d of the decorative cover 126 d shown in FIG. 30.

[0144] It will be appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art thatthe shapes of the expansion elements described above are but several ofthe shapes which can be contemplated for the present invention. Othershapes which may be contemplated are gussets, fans, and“accordion-folds” to name but a few.

[0145] Each of the sleeves 100-100 e may further comprise a supportextension 130 which extends away from a portion of the upper end of thesleeve such as for the sleeve 100 f as shown in FIG. 33. The supportextension 130 has one or more apertures 132 disposed therein forallowing the sleeve 100 f to be supported on a support assembly 134which may comprise, for example, a pair of wickets 136 for shipment,storage, assembly of the sleeve 100 f, placement of a pot within thesleeve 100 f, or other functions known in the art. The support extension130 may have a plurality of perforations 138 or other detaching elementsfor allowing the support extension 130 to be removed from the sleeve 100f after the sleeve 100 f has been provided for use as describedelsewhere herein. In another version of the invention, and applicable toany of the sleeves described above, or elsewhere herein, shown in FIG.34 is a sleeve 10 g which has a handle 140 for carrying the potted plantpackage by the sleeve 100 g. The sleeve 10 g further comprises adetaching element 142 comprising perforations for removing a handle 140at a later time.

[0146] As noted above, the protective sleeve and decorative covercomponents of the present invention may comprise a unitary construction,as described in the versions of the invention exemplified in FIGS. 1-34,or may comprise separately formed components which are attached togetherby various bonding materials, as described below.

[0147] For example, the invention may comprise, in one series ofembodiments, a sleeve-cover combination and a method for packaging a potor potted plant. In the method, a preformed decorative plant cover isprovided. The plant cover has a bonding material disposed upon a portionof its inner peripheral surface for bonding the cover to the outerperipheral surface of a pot. In one embodiment, a bonding material isalso disposed upon a portion of the outer peripheral surface of the pot.In the case where a decorative cover is provided which does not have abonding material disposed on the inner peripheral surface thereof, a pothaving a bonding material disposed upon a portion of the outerperipheral surface thereof is provided for bonding to a portion of theinner peripheral surface of the decorative cover. The pot is insertedinto the pot retaining space of the preformed pot cover whereby thebonding material engages the inner peripheral surface of the cover andbondingly connects the outer peripheral surface of the pot theretoproviding a covered pot.

[0148] In the next step of the method, a sleeve portion is provided forapplying to the covered pot for providing protection to the plantalready, or soon to be, disposed within the retaining space of the pot.The sleeve portion is preferably an open-ended, frusto-conically shaped,or semi frusto-conically shaped, tube similar to sleeves well known topersons of ordinary skill in the art. The sleeve may be free of anybonding material disposed thereon, or a bonding material may be disposedon a portion of the inner peripheral surface of the sleeve, preferablynear the lower end of the sleeve. The sleeve is opened and the coveredpot, as described, is deposited into the inner retaining space of thesleeve. As noted above, the decorative cover which covers the pot mayhave a bonding material disposed upon a portion of the outer peripheralsurface thereof.

[0149] In one version of the method, a covered pot free of anyexternally-disposed bonding material is deposited into a sleeve having abonding material disposed on a portion of the inner peripheral surfacethereof. As the covered pot is moved downwardly into the sleeve, thebonding material on the inner peripheral surface of the sleeve engages aportion of the outer peripheral surface of the cover causing the sleeveto be bondingly connected to the cover disposed about the covered plant.Preferably, the sleeve bondingly engages a portion of the cover near theupper end of the base portion of the cover yet below the skirt portionof the cover to allow free extension of the skirt portion of the cover.

[0150] In an alternative version of the invention, as noted above, thebonding material may be disposed on the outer surface of the cover ofthe covered pot while the sleeve may be free of a bonding material. Inthis case, when the covered pot is disposed into the open sleeve, thebonding material on the outer peripheral surface of the cover engages aportion of the inner peripheral surface of the sleeve causing the sleeveto be bondingly connected to the cover of the covered plant. Again,preferably the sleeve bondingly engages a portion of the cover near theupper end of the base portion of the cover yet below the skirt portionof the cover.

[0151] In yet another version of the method of the present invention,the bonding material may be disposed on both the outer surface of thecovered pot and the inner peripheral surface of the sleeve. In such acase, preferably the bonding material both of the cover and the sleeveis a cohesive which allows bonding to itself but not to dissimilarsurfaces. The embodiments of the sleeve/cover combination or packagebriefly described above are described in more detail below in relationto FIGS. 35-57.

Embodiments of FIGS. 35-44

[0152] Attention is now drawn to the embodiments of the presentinvention as shown in FIGS. 35-39. Represented by the general referencenumeral 150 in FIG. 35 is a pot. The pot 150 has an upper end 152, alower end 154, an outer peripheral surface 156, an upper opening 158,and an inner retaining space 160. Shown in FIGS. 36 and 37 is a plantcover referred to by the general reference numeral 162. The plant cover162 has an outer peripheral surface 164, an upper end 166, a lower end168, a base portion 170 sized generally to accommodate pot 150, a skirtportion 172 which extends from the base portion 170, an upper opening174, an inner or pot retaining space 176, an inner peripheral surface178, and a bonding material 180 which is disposed upon at least aportion of the inner peripheral surface 178. Shown in FIG. 37 is the pot150 which has been inserted into the pot retaining space 176 of theplant cover 162.

[0153] As indicated in FIG. 37 the bonding material 180 on the innerperipheral surface 178 of the plant cover 162 is bondingly connected tothe outer peripheral surface 156 of the pot 150. The bonding material180 is shown in the Figures as being preferably disposed near an upperend of the base portion 170 of the plant cover 162 wherein the bondingmaterial 180 bonds at a position near the upper end 152 of the pot 150.However, the bonding material 180 may be disposed at other locations onthe inner peripheral surface 178 of the plant cover 162 for bonding toother positions or points of the outer peripheral surface 156 of the pot150.

[0154] Shown in FIG. 38 is a sleeve designated by the reference numeral182. The sleeve 182 has an upper end 184, an upper opening 186, a lowerend 188, a lower opening 190, an outer peripheral surface 192, an innerperipheral surface 194, and an inner retaining space 196 which isencompassed generally by the inner peripheral surface 194. A bondingmaterial 198 is disposed upon a portion of the inner peripheral surface194. In FIG. 38 the bonding material 198 is shown disposed on the innerperipheral surface 194 near the lower end 188 of the sleeve 182, but itwill be understood by a person of ordinary skill in the art that thebonding material 198 may be disposed elsewhere on the inner peripheralsurface 194 of the sleeve 182.

[0155] Sleeve 182 further comprises lateral perforations 200 andvertical perforations 202 for allowing detachment of an upper portion ofthe sleeve 182. Perforations 202 may also represent other forms ofdetaching elements for detaching the upper portion of the sleeve 182.FIG. 39 shows a sleeve/cover package 204 comprising the plant cover 162and pot 150 as shown in FIG. 37 and the sleeve 182 as shown in FIG. 38after the pot 150 and plant cover 162 have been inserted into the innerretaining space 196 of the sleeve 182. As shown in FIG. 39, the bondingmaterial 198 bondingly connects a portion of the outer peripheralsurface 164 of the plant cover 162 to the inner peripheral surface 194of the sleeve 182 at a position generally near an upper end of the baseportion 170 of the plant cover 162. Once the plant cover 162 with thepot 150 therein has been disposed into the inner retaining space 196 ofthe sleeve 182, the skirt portion 172 of the plant cover 162 issubstantially surrounded and encompassed by the sleeve 182. As will beunderstood by one of ordinary skill in the art, a portion of the sleeveportion 182 can be removed from the sleeve/cover package 204 when it isdesired to decoratively display a plant contained within the pot 150.

[0156] Shown in FIG. 40 is a preformed plant cover represented by thegeneral reference numeral 162 a. The plant cover 162 a is exactly thesame as the plant cover 162 shown in FIG. 36 except that the plant cover162 a has an outer bonding material 181 a disposed on an outerperipheral surface 164 a in addition to a bonding material 180 a whichis disposed upon an inner peripheral surface 178 a of the plant cover162 a. Shown in FIG. 41 is a pot 150 which has been disposed within apot retaining space 176 a of the plant cover 162 a wherein the bondingmaterial 180 a of the plant cover 162 a has bondingly connected to aportion of the outer peripheral surface 156 of the pot 150. The bondingmaterial 181 a is shown on the outer peripheral surface 164 a of theplant cover 162 a.

[0157] Shown in FIG. 42 is a sleeve 182 a having an outer peripheralsurface 192 a, a lower end 188 a, and an inner peripheral surface 194 a.The sleeve 182 a is exactly the same as the sleeve 182 shown in FIG. 38except that sleeve 182 a does not have a bonding material disposed onthe inner peripheral surface 194 a near the lower end 188 a of thesleeve 182 a. FIG. 43 shows a sleeve/cover package 204 a combinationexactly as shown in FIG. 41 which has been disposed into an innerretaining space 196 a of the sleeve 182 a wherein the bonding material181 a on the outer peripheral surface 164 a of the plant cover 162 a hasbondingly connected to a portion of the inner peripheral surface 194 aof the sleeve 182 a to form the sleeve/cover package 204 a. As before,the skirt portion 172 a of the plant cover 162 a is substantiallysurrounded and encompassed by the sleeve 182 a.

[0158] Shown in FIG. 44 is a sleeve/cover package 204 b which iscomprised of the pot 150 as described above, a plant cover 162 a asdescribed above in FIG. 40 and a sleeve 182 as described above in FIG.38. Sleeve/cover package 204 b thus comprises the plant cover 162 ahaving the bonding material 181 a on the outer peripheral surface 164 athereof, which is bondingly connected to the bonding material 198 whichis on a portion of the inner peripheral surface 194 of the sleeve 182.In a preferred embodiment, the bonding materials 181 a and 198 ofsleeve/cover package 204 b are cohesive materials but may be any bondingmaterial described previously herein.

Embodiments of FIGS. 45-55

[0159] Shown in FIG. 45 is a pot designated by the reference numeral 150a which is exactly the same as pot 150 described previously hereinexcept that the pot 150 a, which has an upper end 152 a, a lower end 154a, and an outer peripheral surface 156 a, also has a bonding material161 a disposed on at least a portion of the outer peripheral surface 156a. Shown in FIG. 46 is a preformed plant cover designated by the generalreference numeral 162 b which has an outer peripheral surface 164 b, abase portion 170 b, a skirt portion 172 b and an inner peripheralsurface 178 b. The plant cover 162 b is exactly the same as the plantcover 162 except that the plant cover 162 b does not have a bondingmaterial such as the bonding material 180 disposed upon a portion of theinner peripheral surface 178 b.

[0160] Shown in FIG. 47 is the plant cover 162 b with the pot 150 adisposed therein, wherein the bonding material 161 a of the pot 150 a isbondingly connected to a portion of the inner peripheral surface 178 bof the plant cover 162 b. Shown in FIG. 48 is a sleeve/cover package 204c which is comprised of the plant cover 162 b having the pot 150 atherein as shown in FIG. 47 and the sleeve 182 as shown in FIG. 38 whichhas the inner peripheral surface 194 and the bonding material 198disposed upon a portion of the inner peripheral surface 194. The bondingmaterial 198 of the sleeve 182 is bondingly connected to a portion ofthe outer peripheral surface 164 b of the base portion 170 b of theplant cover 162 b. The skirt portion 172 b of the plant cover 162 b isthus substantially surrounded and encompassed by the sleeve 182.

[0161] Shown in FIGS. 49 and 50 is a plant cover 162 c having an outerperipheral surface 164 c, a base portion 170 c, a skirt portion 172 c,and an inner peripheral surface 178 c. The plant cover 162 c is exactlythe same as the plant cover 162 b of FIG. 46 except that the plant cover162 c further comprises a bonding material 180 c disposed upon theportion of the outer peripheral surface 164 c of the cover 162 c. Shownin FIG. 50 is the plant cover 162 c containing the pot 150 a (FIG. 45).The pot 150 a is bondingly connected to the inner peripheral surface 178c of the plant cover 162 c via the bonding material 161 a as describedpreviously. Shown in FIG. 51 is sleeve/cover package 204 d. Thesleeve/cover package 204 d comprises the pot 150 a contained within theplant cover 162 c as described in FIG. 50 which is disposed in the innerretaining space 196 a of sleeve 182 a shown in FIG. 42. A portion of theinner peripheral surface 194 a of the sleeve 182 a is bondinglyconnected to a portion of the outer peripheral surface 164 c of theplant cover 162 c via the bonding material 181 c. The skirt portion 172c of the plant cover 162 c is substantially surrounded and encompassedby the sleeve 182 a.

[0162] Shown in FIG. 52 is the pot 150 a disposed within the potretaining space 176 a of a plant cover 162 a shown in FIG. 40. The plantcover 162 a comprises the bonding material 180 a disposed on the innerperipheral surface 178 a thereof and the bonding material 181 a disposedon the outer peripheral surface 164 a thereof. The bonding material 161a of the pot 150 a is connected to the bonding material 180 a of theplant cover 162 a. The pot 150 a and cover 162 a may be disposed withina sleeve such as sleeve 182 or sleeve 182 a.

[0163] Shown in FIG. 53 is a sleeve/cover package 204 e comprising thepot 150 a and plant cover 162 c disposed within the inner retainingspace 196 of the sleeve 182 described in FIG. 38 previously. Asindicated in FIG. 53, the bonding material 180 c of the plant cover 162c is bondingly connected to the bonding material 198 of the sleeve 182thereby connecting the outer peripheral surface 164 c of the plant cover162 c to a portion of the inner peripheral surface 194 of the sleeve182. As discussed previously, in the case of using a plant cover havinga bonding material on the outer peripheral surface thereof along with asleeve having a bonding material on the inner peripheral surfacethereof, preferably the bonding material is a cohesive. It will beapparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that other combinations ofpots, covers and sleeves other than those specifically delineated hereinare practicable and are well within the spirit of the embodimentsdescribed herein.

[0164] Shown in FIGS. 54 and 55 is one example of a method and apparatuswhich can be used to cause a sleeve to be attached to the outerperipheral surface of a decorative cover surrounding a potted plant. Apedestal is represented by the reference numeral 210. The pedestal 210is comprised of a post 212, a base 214 and a pot support surface 216. Apotted plant 218 is placed upon the pot support surface 216, the pottedplant 218 having a bonding material 220 disposed on the outer peripheralsurface of the cover of the potted plant 218. A plurality of sleeves 222is disposed upon the pedestal 210 near the base 214. A single sleeve 224is caused to be brought up around the outside of the potted plant 218.The individual sleeve 224 has an inner peripheral surface 226, an upperend 228, and a bonding material 230 disposed upon a portion of the innerperipheral surface 226 preferably near the lower end of the sleeve 224.Shown in FIG. 55 is a sleeve 224 which has been brought up about theexterior of the potted plant 218 wherein the bonding material 230 on thesleeve 224 is caused to be bondingly connected to the bonding material220 on the exterior surface of the potted plant 218. The sleeve 224 andthe potted plant 218 together comprise a sleeve and cover package 232.

Embodiments of Figures 56-67

[0165] Shown in FIG. 56 and represented by the general reference numeral238 is a sleeve/plant package comprising a pot 240 and a sleeve 242. Thesleeve 242 has an outer peripheral surface 244, an inner peripheralsurface 246, a lower end 248, an upper end 250, a plurality ofperforations 252 and an inner bonding material 254 disposed on a portionof the inner peripheral surface 246 thereof. The inner bonding material254 serves to bondingly connect the lower end 248 of the sleeve 242 to aportion of the pot 240, preferably an upper end of the pot 240. It willalso be appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art that the objectas represented by the pot 240 could also be a pot covered with adecorative pot cover as described elsewhere herein. In that case thebonding material 254 on the sleeve 242 would bondingly connect the innerperipheral surface 246 of the sleeve 242 to a portion of the outerperipheral surface of the decorative cover surrounding the pot 240.

[0166] An alternative embodiment of a sleeve 242 a of a sleeve/plantpackage 238 a is shown in FIG. 57. In this embodiment of thesleeve/plant package 238 a, the sleeve 242 a has no bonding materialthereon. Instead, a bonding material 256 a is disposed on a portion ofan outer peripheral surface 241 a of a pot 240 a for bondinglyconnecting the sleeve 242 a to the pot 240 a. An additional embodimentis represented in FIG. 58 by a sleeve/plant package designated by thereference numeral 238 b. The sleeve/plant package 238 b comprises asleeve 242 b having a bonding material 254 b disposed on a portion of aninner peripheral surface 246 b of the sleeve 242 b. In addition, the pot240 a has a bonding material 256 a disposed on a portion of an outerperipheral surface 241 a of the pot 240 a. Together the bondingmaterials 254 b and 256 a, which preferably are cohesives, cause thesleeve 242 b to be bondingly connected to the pot 240 a.

[0167] Shown in FIG. 59 is yet another version of the present inventioncomprising a sleeve/plant package designated by the reference numeral238 c . The sleeve/plant package 238 c comprises a sleeve 242 c and apot 240. The sleeve 242 c has both an inner bonding material 254 c whichis disposed upon a portion of an inner peripheral surface 246 c of thesleeve 242 c and an outer bonding material 258 c which is disposed upona portion of an outer peripheral surface 244 c of the sleeve 242 c. Asnoted above, any of the sleeve/plant packages 238, 238 a, 238 b, and 238c may comprise a potted plant having a decorative pot cover in lieu ofthe pot 240 or 240 a to which the aforementioned sleeves are attached.

[0168] An alternate version of a sleeve as used in the present inventionis shown in FIGS. 60, 61, 62, 63 and 64, and is designated by thegeneral reference numeral 260. The sleeve 260 comprises an upper end262, a lower end 264, an outer peripheral surface 266, an innerperipheral surface 268, a plurality of perforations or other detachingelement 270, an inverted portion 272 (FIGS. 60-63) disposed at the lowerend 264 and a cover strip 274 (FIGS. 61 and 62) which conceals a bondingmaterial 276 (FIGS. 61-63) disposed upon an external portion 277 of theinverted portion 272. In use, as shown in FIG. 61, the sleeve 260 isdisposed about the pot 240 wherein a portion of the lower end 264 of thesleeve 260 is placed adjacent a portion of an outer peripheral surface241 of the pot 240. The cover strip 274 can then be removed revealingthe bonding material 276 disposed upon a portion of an externally facingportion 277 of the inverted portion 272, as shown in FIGS. 61 and 62.The inverted portion 272 is then turned down as shown in FIG. 63 whereinthe bonding material 276 is caused to face a portion of the outerperipheral surface 241 of the pot 240. Finally, shown in FIG. 64, is asleeve/plant package 278 which is produced when the sleeve 260 isbondingly connected at the lower end 264 thereof to the pot 240.

[0169] Shown in FIGS. 65 and 66 are two pot covers 280 and 280 a,respectively. The pot cover 280 shown in FIG. 65 is a pot cover such asthose well known in the art and described previously herein and having aretaining space 282. The pot cover 280 a has a retaining space 282 a anda bonding material 284 disposed upon a portion of an inner peripheralsurface 285 of the pot cover 280 a. Any of the sleeve plant packagesshown previously in FIGS. 56-64 may be disposed in either of the potcovers 280 or 280 a. For example, sleeve/plant packages 238, 238 a, 238b, and 278 may be disposed in the pot retaining space 282 a of the potcover 280 a. The bonding material 284 disposed on the inner peripheralsurface 285 of the pot cover 280 a can be caused to bondingly connect toa portion of the sleeve/plant package 238, 238 a, 238 b or 278,sleeve/plant package 278 being shown, resulting in the sleeve/plantpackage 286 shown in FIG. 67. Alternatively, the sleeve/plant package238 c which has the bonding material 258 c disposed on the outerperipheral surface 244 thereof can be disposed in pot cover 280. The potcover 280, having no adhesive or bonding material disposed thereon, isbondingly connected to the sleeve/plant package 238 c via the bondingmaterial 258 c.

Embodiments of FIGS. 68-73

[0170] Another version of the present invention and its use thereof isshown in FIGS. 68-73. FIG. 68 shows a covered potted plant designated bythe general reference numeral 288. The covered potted plant 288 iscomprised of a pot cover 290 which has a skirt portion 292, a baseportion 294, an outer peripheral surface 296, and a retaining space 297.A potted plant 298 is disposed within the retaining space 297 of the potcover 290. Shown in FIG. 69 is a sleeve designated by the generalreference numeral 300 having a generally cylindrical shape and having anupper end 302, a lower end 304, an outer peripheral surface 306, aninner peripheral surface 308, a bonding material 310 disposed in thevicinity of the upper end 302, a vertical perforation 312 extending fromnear the upper end 302 to the lower end 304, a lateral perforation 314extending circumferentially around the sleeve 300, and one or moreexpansion elements 316. In use the sleeve 300 is drawn up about the baseportion 294 of the covered potted plant 288 of FIG. 68 wherein thebonding material 310 of the sleeve 300 is caused to be bondinglyconnected to a portion of the outer peripheral surface 296 of the potcover 290 as shown in FIG. 70. The sleeve 300 can be then brought upabout the covered potted plant 288 by grasping the lower end 304 of thesleeve 300 and drawing the lower end 304 in the direction 318 over theupper end of the covered potted plant 288 as shown in FIG. 71. Oncefully drawn up about the covered potted plant 288, the sleeve 300encompasses the skirt portion 292 of the pot cover 290 of the coveredpotted plant 288. The resulting sleeve/plant package is designated inFIG. 72 by the general reference numeral 320. Shown in FIG. 73 is thesleeve/plant package 320 after the upper portion of the sleeve 300 hasbeen removed causing the skirt portion 292 of the pot cover 290 of thecovered potted plant 288 to be exposed and the remaining portion 322 ofthe sleeve 300 left bondingly connected to a portion of the base portion294 of the pot cover 290 of the covered potted plant 288.

[0171] In an alternative embodiment of a sleeve/cover combination, asleeve having a skirt portion attached therein is shown in FIGS. 74 and75 and designated by the general reference numeral 326. The sleeve/covercombination 326 comprises a sleeve 328. The sleeve 328 comprises a baseportion 330 having a lower end 332, a sleeve portion 334 having an upperend 336, an outer peripheral surface 338, and an inner peripheralsurface 340. A skirt component 342 comprising a lower end 344, an upperend 346, an outer peripheral surface 348, an inner peripheral surface350 and a bonding material 352 is shown disposed within the sleeve 328.The skirt component 342 is bondingly connected at a portion of its outerperipheral surface 348 to a portion of the inner peripheral surface 340of the sleeve 328 via the bonding material 352. The upper end 346 of theskirt component 342 is substantially surrounded and encompassed by thesleeve portion 334 of the sleeve 328. Shown in FIG. 75 is an alternateview of the skirt component 342 bondingly connected by the bondingmaterial 352 to a portion of the inner peripheral surface 340 of thesleeve 328. Also shown in FIG. 75 are perforations 354 in the sleeve 328for allowing detachment of the sleeve portion 334 away from the skirtcomponent 342 and the base portion 330 thereby allowing the skirtcomponent 342 to be exposed.

Embodiments of FIGS. 76-86

[0172] In yet another version of the present invention rather thanproviding a preformed pot cover, a sheet of material may be provided forforming a cover about a pot. In an embodiment as shown in FIG. 76 asheet of material 360 is provided. The sheet of material 360 has aninner surface 362, an outer surface 364, a first edge 366, a second edge368, a third edge 370, a fourth edge 372, and a bonding material 374which is disposed upon a portion of the outer surface 364. A pottedplant 298 can be disposed upon the inner surface 362 of the sheet ofmaterial 360, which can then be wrapped and formed into a decorativecover 376 about the potted plant 298 as shown in FIG. 77 in a mannerwell known to a person of ordinary skill in the art. The decorativecover 376 thus formed comprises a base portion 378, and a skirt portion380. The bonding material 374 is therefore disposed upon an outersurface 381 of the decorative cover 376. Shown in FIGS. 78 and 79, anddesignated by the general reference numeral 382, is a sleeve having anouter peripheral surface 384, an inner peripheral surface 386, and aninner retaining space 387 surrounded by the inner peripheral surface386. The potted plant 298 shown in FIG. 77 having the decorative cover376 is then disposed in the inner retaining space 387 of the sleeve 382wherein the bonding material 374 of the decorative cover 376 engages aportion of the inner peripheral surface 386 of the sleeve 382 therebybondingly connecting a portion of the outer peripheral surface 381 ofthe decorative cover 376 to the inner peripheral surface 386 of thesleeve 382 in forming a sleeve/plant package 388 as shown in FIG. 79.

[0173] In an alternate version of the invention shown in FIGS. 80 and81, a sleeve 382 a having an outer peripheral surface 384 a, an innerperipheral surface 386 a, and an inner retaining space 387 a isprovided. Disposed upon a portion of the inner peripheral surface 386 aof the sleeve 382 a is a bonding material 390. A potted plant 298 suchas that shown in FIG. 77 having a decorative cover 376 which has abonding material 374 thereon is disposed within the inner retainingspace 387 a of the sleeve 382 a to form a sleeve/cover package 388 awherein the bonding material 390 of the sleeve 382 a bondingly connectsto the bonding material 374 of the decorative cover 376. Preferably,when both the sleeve 382 a and the decorative cover 376 have a bondingmaterial thereon the bonding material is a cohesive wherein the bondingmaterial 390 cohesively connects to the bonding material 374.

[0174] In an alternative version of the present invention, as shown inFIGS. 82 and 83, the sleeve may not be a tube but instead may be formedof a flat sheet of material having a generally trapezoidal, square orrectangular shape. It will be appreciated that any size or shape ofsheet of material may be utilized as long as this sheet of materialfunctions in the manner described herein in accordance with the presentinvention. Shown in FIG. 82 is a sheet of material designated by thegeneral reference numeral 394. The sheet of material 394 has an innersurface 396, an outer surface 398, a first edge 400, a second edge 402,a third edge 404 and a fourth edge 406. The sheet 394 further hasvertical perforations 408 and lateral perforations 410 which representdetaching elements. The sheet 394 further has a first bonding strip 412flanking the second edge 402 and a second bonding strip 414 which isdisposed horizontally and flanks the third edge 404. The covered pottedplant 288 having the pot cover 290 is provided as shown previously inFIG. 73 herein. The sheet of material 394 can then be wrapped about thecovered potted plant 288 forming a generally frusto-conical shapedsleeve 416 as shown in FIG. 83. The first bonding strip 412 which hereis shown to be vertically oriented is caused to engage and bondinglyconnect to the fourth edge 406 of the sheet of material 394 as indicatedin FIG. 83 thereby forming an overlapping sealed area between the firstbonding strip 412 and the portion of the surface of the sheet ofmaterial 394 near the fourth edge 406. The second bonding strip 414which here is shown to be horizontally oriented is caused to engage andbondingly connect circumferentially about a portion of the outerperipheral surface 296 of the pot cover 290 formed about the coveredpotted plant 288 thereby forming a generally frusto-conical shapedsleeve 416 and forming a sleeve/cover package 418 comprising the coveredpotted plant 288 and then the sleeve 416. A portion of the sleeve 416can then be removed by detaching the portion along the perforations 408and 410.

[0175] Another version of the invention, as shown in FIGS. 84-86. InFIG. 84, a sheet of material designated by the general reference numeral394 a is provided. The sheet of material 394 a has an inner surface 396a, an outer surface 398 a, a first edge 400 a, a second edge 402 a, athird edge 404 a and a fourth edge 406 a. The sheet of material 394 afurther has a plurality of vertical perforations 408 a and a pluralityof lateral perforations 410 a. Further, the sheet of material 394 a hasa first bonding strip 412 a which is generally disposed along the secondedge 402 a, a second bonding strip 414 a which is generally disposedalong the third edge 404 a and a sealing strip 420 a which is generallydisposed along the first edge 400 a. As indicated in the embodimentpreviously shown in FIGS. 82 and 83 the sheet of material 394 a can bewrapped about the covered potted plant 288 to form a sleeve/coverpackage 424. As shown in FIGS. 85 and 86 the sealing strip 420 a can besealed along its length to seal the upper end 421 of the sleeve 422formed therefrom for reducing gas exchange or moisture loss from thecovered potted plant 288.

[0176] It should also be noted that for all versions of preformed coversand sheets of material described above and elsewhere herein, anadditional bonding material may be disposed either on the outer surfaceof the cover, the inner surface of the cover, or both the outer andinner surfaces of the cover for allowing portions of the cover to becrimpingly connected to the pot in exactly the same manner as describedelsewhere herein. Further, in each of these versions described hereinthe sleeve which is bondingly connected to the cover comprises adetaching element as described earlier for allowing the sleeve orportion thereof to be detached from the cover thereby exposing the skirtportion of the base of the cover or another portion of the base andallowing the portion thereby exposed to extend angularly from the baseof the cover. Further, in any of the versions of the present inventiondescribed herein, it may be desirable to have a cover strip covering thebonding material disposed on any portion of the object for preventingthe bonding material from bonding to a surface until the desired time.Further in each of the cases described herein wherein a sleeve isapplied to a pot or a covered pot, the sleeve may be applied theretoeither by depositing the pot or covered pot downwardly into the openretaining space of the sleeve, or the sleeve may be brought upwardlyabout the pot or covered pot from below the pot or covered pot as shownfor example using the pedestal of FIGS. 54 and 55.

[0177] It should be further noted that features of the versions of thepresent invention shown in FIGS. 6-20 such as closure bonding areas,support extensions, handles, additional perforations and combinations ofmaterial may be used alone or in combination as elements of any of theembodiments described above herein.

[0178] Changes may be made in the construction and the operation of thevarious components, elements and assemblies described herein or in thesteps or the sequence of steps of the methods described herein withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in thefollowing claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method of wrapping a plant, comprising:providing a growing medium and a botanical item; providing a tubularsleeve comprising: a lower portion having an upper end, a lower end, aninner peripheral surface, an outer peripheral surface and having atapered shape, the lower portion having a flattened state and beingopenable from the flattened state to an opened position wherein theinner peripheral surface of the lower portion defines and encompasses aninner retaining space, an opening being formed through the upper end ofthe lower portion, the opening being in communication with the innerretaining space, the lower portion end having a gusset therein forforming a closed flattened bottom in the lower portion when the lowerportion is in the opened position, the lower portion comprising a baseportion and a decorative skirt portion in the upper end thereof; openingthe lower portion into the opened position thereby exposing the innerretaining space of the lower portion; and disposing the growing mediumand botanical item in the inner retaining space of the lower portion ofthe tubular sleeve without a pot, the decorative skirt portion extendingfrom the base portion.
 2. The method of claim 1 wherein in the step ofproviding a tubular sleeve, the tubular sleeve is further defined asconstructed from a material having a thickness in a range of from about0.1 mil to about 30 mils.
 3. The method of claim 1 wherein in the stepof providing a tubular sleeve, the tubular sleeve is further defined asconstructed from a material having a thickness in a range of from about0.5 mil to about 10 mils.
 4. The method of claim 1 wherein in the stepof providing a tubular sleeve, the tubular sleeve is further defined asconstructed from a material having a thickness in a range of from about1 mil to about 5 mils.
 5. The method of claim 1 wherein in the step ofproviding a tubular sleeve, the tubular sleeve is further defined asconstructed from a material selected from the group consisting oftreated or untreated paper, metal foil, polymer film, non-polymer film,cardboard, fiber, cloth, burlap, and laminations or combinationsthereof.